IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0438602
(1999-11-12)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
33 |
초록
▼
A system for providing cash to users in a self-service environment such as in dispensing motor fuel includes a self-service dispensing machine (12). A user is enabled to dispense merchandise from the self-service dispensing machine and is also enabled to selectively receive cash value by charging th
A system for providing cash to users in a self-service environment such as in dispensing motor fuel includes a self-service dispensing machine (12). A user is enabled to dispense merchandise from the self-service dispensing machine and is also enabled to selectively receive cash value by charging the amount of such value to a monetary source associated with a machine readable article (80, 82). A user may receive cash value by presenting a printed voucher or other item to a service provider located at a facility (14) at which the service provider exchanges the voucher or other item for cash. Alternatively, cash may be dispensed to the user directly from the self-service dispensing machine.
대표청구항
▼
1. Apparatus comprising:a self-service merchandise dispensing machine selectively operative to dispense merchandise; a user interface associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the interface includes an article reading device, wherein the article reading device is operative to read a machine re
1. Apparatus comprising:a self-service merchandise dispensing machine selectively operative to dispense merchandise; a user interface associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the interface includes an article reading device, wherein the article reading device is operative to read a machine readable article associated with a user and including a stored value memory, wherein the machine readable article corresponds to a source of monetary value, and wherein the interface includes at least one input device operative to receive at least one input from a user; a cash value dispensing mechanism associated with the dispensing machine; a controller operatively connected to the dispensing machine, the user interface and the cash value dispensing mechanism; wherein the controller is operative to cause a merchandise dispense from the merchandise dispensing machine having an associated charge and to cause a cash value dispense of an amount from the cash value dispensing mechanism, responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, wherein the article reading device is operative responsive to the cash value dispense to include data representative of the amount in the stored value memory, and wherein the controller is operative responsive to reading the machine readable article with the article reading device to cause generation of a charge record, wherein the charge record includes data representative of the source of monetary value, the charge, and the amount. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism is operative during the cash value dispense to dispense at least one note.3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism includes a cash supply component, wherein the cash supply component holds a supply of notes, and wherein the cash supply component is removably mounted to the merchandise dispensing machine.4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the user interface further includes an output device, wherein the controller is further operative to cause the output device to output prompt messages to a user concerning operation of the input device.5. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a cash value accepting device associated with the merchandise dispensing machine, wherein the cash value accepting device is operative to accept at least one cash value item from a user, and wherein the cash value accepting device is operatively connected to the controller, and wherein the controller is operative to apply the charge associated with the dispensed merchandise to the cash value item.6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the cash value accepting device includes a note acceptor and the cash value item includes a note.7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the cash value accepting device includes a stored value card reader and the stored value item includes a stored value card.8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the self-service merchandise dispensing machine is operative to dispense merchandise which includes motor fuel.9. Apparatus comprising:a self-service merchandise dispensing machine selectively operative to dispense merchandise; a user interface associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the interface includes an article reading device, wherein the article reading device is operative to read a machine readable article associated with a user, wherein the machine readable article corresponds to a source of monetary value, and wherein the interface includes at least one input device operative to receive at least one input from a user; a cash value dispensing mechanism associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism includes a roll of notes, wherein the roll includes a movable web, wherein the notes in the roll are held in supporting connection with the web, wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism is operative to deliver a note to a user in attached relation with the web; a controller operatively connected to the dispensing machine, the user interface and the cash value dispensing mechanism; wherein the controller is operative to cause a merchandise dispense from the merchandise dispensing machine having an associated charge and to cause a cash value dispense of an amount from the cash value dispensing mechanism, responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, and wherein the controller is operative responsive to reading the machine readable article with the article reading device to cause generation of a charge record, wherein the charge record includes data representative of the source of monetary value, the charge, and the amount; wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism is selectively operative to dispense at least one note from the roll during the cash value dispense. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cash dispensing mechanism further comprises a note/web separating member, wherein the note/web separating member is operative to engage the note to separate the note from the web, wherein the note is dispensed from the machine without the web attached thereto.11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the web includes a releasible adhesive thereon, whereby notes are separable from the web after dispense to a user.12. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism includes disposed first and second engaging devices in operative engagement with the web, wherein the first and second engaging devices are in operative connection with the controller, and wherein the controller is operative to cause the web to move to produce a loop in the web between the first and second engaging devices in the dispensing machine, and wherein the controller is operative to release the first engaging device to enable delivery of a portion of the web which includes the loop from the dispensing machine while holding the web adjacent the second engaging device in the machine.13. The apparatus according to claim 9 and further comprising a cash value accepting device in operative connection with the self-service dispensing machine, wherein the cash value accepting device is in operative connection with the controller, and wherein the cash value accepting device is operative to accept a presented note, and wherein the accepting device is operative to determine if the note is genuine, and wherein the controller is operative responsive to the accepting device determining that the presented note is genuine to include the presented note in the roll.14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the controller is operative responsive to the accepting device determining that the presented note is not genuine to discharge the accepted note from the cash accepting device.15. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the accepted note is associated with a cash value, and wherein the controller is operative to apply the charge for the dispensed merchandise against the cash value.16. Apparatus comprising:a self-service merchandise dispensing machine selectively operative to dispense merchandise; a user interface associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the interface includes an article reading device, wherein the article reading device is operative to read a machine readable article associated with a user, wherein the machine readable article corresponds to a source of monetary value, and wherein the interface includes at least one input device operative to receive at least one input from a user; a cash value dispensing mechanism associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism includes a roll of notes having generally parallel, opposed edges of similar dimension, and wherein the roll comprises a plurality of releasible connectors, wherein a connector is operative to connect an area of one first note to an area of at least one second note, wherein the connector is operative to releasibly connect the first and second notes with their respective edges in generally adjacent relation, and wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism is operative to deliver notes in attached relation with connectors; a controller operatively connected to the dispensing machine, the user interface and the cash value dispensing mechanism; wherein the controller is operative to cause a merchandise dispense from the merchandise dispensing machine having an associated charge and to cause a cash value dispense of an amount from the cash value dispensing mechanism, responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, and wherein the controller is operative responsive to reading the machine readable article with the article reading device to cause generation of a charge record, wherein the charge record includes data representative of the source of monetary value, the charge, and the amount; wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism is selectively operative to dispense at least one note from the roll during the cash value dispense. 17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein each releasible connector comprises a generally flexible member, wherein the flexible member spans the generally adjacent edges of the first and second notes.18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the flexible member includes releasible adhesive, wherein the adhesive releasibly engages the first and second notes with the flexible member.19. A method of operating an apparatus,wherein the apparatus comprises: a self-service merchandise dispensing machine selectively operative to dispense merchandise; a user interface associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the interface includes an article reading device, wherein the article reading device is operative to read a machine readable article associated with a user, wherein the machine readable article corresponds to a source of monetary value, and wherein the interface includes at least one input device operative to receive at least one input from a user; a cash value dispensing mechanism associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the cash value dispensing mechanism includes a cash supply component removably mounted to the merchandise dispensing machine, wherein the cash supply component holds a supply of notes; a controller operatively connected to the dispensing machine, the user interface and the cash value dispensing mechanism; wherein the controller is operative to cause a merchandise dispense from the merchandise dispensing machine having an associated charge and to cause a cash value dispense of an amount from the cash value dispensing mechanism, responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, and wherein the controller is operative responsive to reading the machine readable article with the article reading device to cause generation of a charge record, wherein the charge record includes data representative of the source of monetary value, the charge, and the amount; comprising: (a) reading a machine readable article with the reading device; (b) dispensing merchandise from the self-service dispensing machine responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, the dispensed merchandise having an associated charge; (c) dispensing cash value including at least one note from the cash value dispensing mechanism responsive to at least one input to the at least one input device, the cash value dispensed corresponding to an amount; (d) charging the source of monetary value the amount and the charge; (e) removing the cash supply component from the merchandise dispensing machine, wherein in performing the method, step (c) is not executed when the cash supply component has been removed from the merchandise dispensing machine, and in step (d) the source of monetary value is charged only the charge for dispensed merchandise. 20. The method according to claim 19 wherein step (a) includes reading a credit card associated with a user's credit card account, and step (d) includes charging the user's credit card account for the amount and the charge.21. The method according to claim 19 wherein step (b) includes dispensing motor fuel from the self-service merchandise dispensing machine.22. A method comprising:(a) operating an article reading device to read a machine readable article, wherein the machine readable article corresponds to a source of monetary value and includes a stored value memory, and wherein a user interface associated with a self-service merchandise dispensing machine includes the article reading device; (b) receiving at least one input at at least one input device of the user interface; (c) operating a controller to cause a merchandise dispense from the dispensing machine having an associated charge, responsive to receiving at least one input at the at least one input device; (d) operating the controller to cause a cash value dispense of an amount from a cash value dispensing mechanism associated with the dispensing machine, responsive to receiving at least one input at the at least one input device; (e) operating the article reading device to include data representative of the amount in the stored value memory; (f) operating the controller to cause generation of a charge record including data representative of the source of monetary value, the charge, and the amount. 23. Apparatus comprising:a self-service merchandise dispensing machine selectively operative to dispense merchandise; a user interface associated with the dispensing machine, wherein the interface includes an article reading device, wherein the article reading device is operative to read a machine readable article associated with a user, wherein the machine readable article corresponds to a source of monetary value, and wherein the interface includes an input device operative to receive at least one input from a user; a cash value dispensing mechanism associated with the dispensing machine; a controller operatively connected to the dispensing machine, the user interface and the cash value dispensing mechanism; wherein the controller is operative to cause a merchandise dispense from the merchandise dispensing machine having an associated charge and to cause a cash value dispense of an amount from the cash value dispensing mechanism, responsive to at least one input to the input device, and wherein the controller is operative responsive to reading the machine readable article with the article reading device to cause generation of a charge record wherein the charge record, includes data representative of the source of monetary value, the charge, and the amount.
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